Mount Hutt skiers stranded

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 1

Mount Hutt skiers stranded

About 500 skiers were stranded on Mount Hutt for seven hours yesterday after high winds closed the access road to the ski- - field.

The road was reopened about 6 p.m., after the winds had dropped, and the skiers were safely off the mountain by 6.30 p.m., according to the chejrman of directors of the Mount Hutt Company (Mr P. Yeoman).

Mr Yeoman said that north-westerly winds had been forecast yesterday morning, but it had been decided that it was safe to open the field. “We feel that we have an obligation, especially to overseas visitors who might only be here for six or seven days ski-ing, and are prepared to tolerate rough conditions,” said Mr Yeoman.

By 11 aan. the winds had grown so strong that the ski-field staff decided to close the road as a safety measure

“In view’ of an accident tw’O years ago, we believe it is better to be cautious and leave a big safety margin,” said Mr Yeoman. An Australian man was killed on August 10, 1978, when his car was blown off the access road by a strong gust. The ski-field itself was closed about midday yesterday and the 500 stranded skiers spent the next few hours in their cars or in the day lodge. “It was the sort of situation that we would expect about once a year,” said Mr Yeoman. “There was plenty of heating and food, and we could have accommodated them overnight, if necessary.” Very strong northwesterly or westerly winds were reported throughout most of inland Canterbury yesterday Debris w’as blown over roads at Mount Somers, and one motorist said he was unable to attain more than 55km/h heading into the wind in a modem car.